Last week, my friend and fellow entrepreneur Donna Maria of Indie Beauty Network and Indie Business Blog interviewed me about my fledgling company. You can read her article here.
One of the topics that struck a cord with both of us was around the challenges of working from home. Especially, like in our cases, when you have a spouse (hers works in the business, mine does not) and children. For many other people, substitute the words “roommates” or “noisy neighbors” and the same issues will probably arise.
Below are more of my thoughts on the subject.
Lose the pajamas, shorts and t-shirt.
I’m a big believer in dressing for success. For me, that means putting on business casual clothes when I’m working, even if I’m not going anywhere that day. There have been many times when an opportunity to meet with someone came up suddenly, and I’ve been able to jump in the car and go.
Hey, if you are as brilliant as Steve Jobs and can pull off jeans and a black turtleneck every day (or whatever you’re comfortable in), go for it. But my guess is that most people will feel better about themselves by consistently showering, brushing your teeth, combing your hair and putting on something they wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen wearing in public.
Establish a routine. Set “office hours” and stick to them.
Resist the urge to just pop into your office at any hour of the day. Otherwise, it’ll become a black hole that continually suck you into the void of work and away from the rest of your life.
I say that as I sit here “after hours” writing this, but the wife and kids are away for a brief bit and it’s the only chance I’ll get! (See how easily the justifications to keep working become?)
Set clearly defined boundaries.
This one is especially tough with small children around, but you gotta do it. Make sure that everyone knows that when mommy or daddy is in this room, he or she is working, the door stays shut and you keep the noise away.
Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, but something you must try and adhere to. Few things are as awkward as a screaming infant or toddler interrupting a business call, but it’ll happen. Your goal is to minimize those interruptions, focus on what you’re doing and above all stop feeling guilty that you aren’t helping when it sounds like the house is crashing down around you. If you have a stay-at-home spouse or roommate, tell them politely but firmly that you are in there to work, and not to bother you unless it is absolutely necessary. Hopefully, they will be understanding and honor your request. Be as firm as possible—until you see smoke or hear sirens.
As for noisy neighbors, you need to be upfront with them and explain your situation. It will not always be possible for them to accommodate your every wish (e.g., complete silence from 9-5), but hopefully if you are on good terms with them, they will be respectful during certain times of the day, or agree to tone things down when you have important calls or meetings scheduled. Otherwise, you’re going to have to be more defensive on your end in sound proofing your workspace. If diplomacy fails and they don’t pipe down, then check with your local authorities on your rights. I wish you the best of luck on this one—the last thing you need when trying to run your business is having a simultaneous feud with a hostile neighbor. Your best best might be to clear out and work someplace else.
Pimp your workspace.
First of all, get rid of the spare bedroom furniture, kiddie toys, dog beds, cardboard boxes and whatever else is junking up the room and make it a real office. That means getting a proper desk, good lighting, ample filing and storage bins. The photo I used for this post should give you plenty of inspiration (an architect’s home office, no less) .
It took me a solid weekend to break down and reconfigure my own workspace, and it was well worth the time. I no longer stare at a rumpled bed, clumps of dried up Play-Doh and assorted other non-work-related objects. Getting your office properly configured will help give you more energy and focus.
Get your own stuff.
First, get your own computer. Next, make sure you have your own phone line. I use two very inexpensive services, Skype and Kall8.com. Neither requires a landline. Whatever your preference, just make sure you aren’t competing with family members or roommates for phone time.
The same goes for having your own printer, paper, stamps and other basic office supplies. Make sure everyone knows it’s yours and not to mooch off of you. Other than interrupted phone calls, few things are as maddening as needing to get something done on a deadline and finding you are out of essential items. Do your part also and regularly check and replenish your stock. If necessary, keep them under lock and key.
What about you? Do you (or have you) worked from home? If so, I look forward to getting your comments about the trials and tribulations of calling home your workplace.
Photo credit: Jeremy Levine Design
May 4th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Amen. I'm with ya….and thank you.
It is a challenge to keep your mind straight and focused on your course on a daily basis when working out of a home office.
As you and I have discussed prior, the lack of other co-workers to bounce ideas off of – the "hey, what do you think of this" watercooler chat can sometimes take its toll. I've found a the twitter community and tweetups to be a huge help in curbing that dilemma, as well as association meetings and good ol' fashion coffee shop meetups.
Thanks for the thoughts.
May 4th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Brandon: Fantastic post! I love your tips to help people go from kinda working to managing a real and profitable business from home. My business started in earnest right after I delivered my first child, so I was nursing an infant at the time as I was editing my newsletter and pitching clients. As soon as she was old enough, I hired a nanny to be in my home during the day so I could be productive at work.
I highly recommend this kind of help for people with young children who are not lucky enough to have a wonderful spouse like you to be with the kids during the workday. I think many businesses fail, especially those owned by mothers, when people simply don't get help with their children.
I hope we can work toward that Indie Business Family Picnic this summer. I've been thinking more abou the fun we could have!
Thanks again for a great post.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I love this post! And I need to take you to heart about dressing for success. I do a great jobe when I know I'm meeting a client, but other days I have been known to answer the door still in my pjs- at noon! No, I'm not sleeping late- but I tend to be so excited about commuting 15 sec to my office that I'll get started with breakfast in hand. Sometimes the dog has to remind me to take her out for her morning walk!
Interaction with others in business has become easier with twitter and facebook. I actually have gotten a number of clients from facebook, too.
I'm glad to find this site- now to RSS it to my Google Reader!
Robin
May 5th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Nathan, thanks for mentioning the idea of using Twitter and tweetups, etc. to get out of the home office and connect with others in the "real world." That's vital. I'm personally out of the house a great deal as well.
And as much as it's nice to save some money working from home, I'm a big believer in eventually getting a "real" office. Maybe that's just me. But I've rarely met really successful entrepreneurs who work from home, though of course it's more conceivable and possible thanks to the plethora of inexpensive web tools now!
Yet when you get to the point where you need employees or a credible place to meet with clientele, the home office loses its appeal. And for me, the physical separation of "home" and "work" can be significant boosts to productivity and long-term happiness.
May 5th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Donna,
I love your distinction of evolving from "kinda working" to a "real and profitable" business from home! :) As I mentioned to Nathan, I think many businesses evolve from making a profit at home to expanding to a separate office. However, I really admire and respect those who are able to both work from home and earn not just a decent living but sustainable, increasing profits
I guess it really depends on the nature of your business, and for the more "virtual" services then it's entirely possible to work from home for a long time and be quite successful. Otherwise, it is a great problem when you get to a certain point and "outgrow" your home office. Then you can reclaim it as a guest or bonus room! :)
May 5th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Robin, I love the picture of your in your PJs, working with your dog. :)
When I started with first home-based business, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a dog. I was single at the time and figured I'd have plenty of time to raise a puppy–how hard could it be? Boy, was I wrong! So in addition to stressing out over making money, suddenly I had a yapping, peeing Lab puppy biting my ankles all day. She was wonderful, but high maintenance.
So I recommend to others that they think twice before trying to launch a home-based business and also get a new pet, or in my case have a new baby, at the same time. :) If you can plan your life better than I have, get the babies out of diapers and the pets potty trained first!
And I also confess to finishing my initial article in shorts and a t-shirt, supposedly on a "day off." So much for being able to "turn it off" when you work from home!
November 20th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
agreed on the tips. I knew a lot of work at home moms and they look like they're tired of washing themselves since that they only work at home. I think that's just bad…
November 21st, 2009 at 2:00 am
agreed on the tips. I knew a lot of work at home moms and they look like they're tired of washing themselves since that they only work at home. I think that's just bad…